Mate, in my opinion the forums and others like us have been used like a 2 dollar whore.

When the AU was killing them and they could use all the help and good word of mouth they could get, they were right on top of it and bending over backwards to give the loyal fans anything they could.

But now the BA is a success, the order books are full and the cash is rolling back in.

The Falcon is selling its’ arse off again, with the V8Supercars they're winning on Sundayand selling on Monday, good product light is coming from the end of the tunnel in Fiesta and hopefully Territory, FPV is selling well (despite the appalling and un-addressed problems AP and others are having), and there is just no need for the fans to spread the gospel again so people will think of the blue oval.

Why should they give a rat’s arse about us when they’re back to full capacity DESPITE what we say about quality faults and other stuff.

I also think that when they see people like you and Russ, AP & FM slagging them off over things like quality, prices of various models, resale, specifications etc that they think we should just shut up and be grateful.

Also, with the (for us good) extra publicity FordForums have received with things like the VY scoop and being quoted and named in media articles, this is now seen as a public news source, and it could be as far as they’re concerned that they don’t want any of us to know what they’re doing so we can’t post it here were the competition can freely read it.

Piss poor effort on their part I think, and hardly PR savvy, but as everyone on here knows, the Ford PR department is hardly full of savvy people (sheltered workshop would be closer to an accurate description I think).

Call me a cynic, but the only thing that surprises me in this is that some of you are surprised that it’s happening. It really is a cliché, but leopards don’t change their spots, and FoMoCo is a big monolithic corporation that does things the way it does things.

The worst part of this is that I think if it weren’t for people like Geoff Polites, it would be a lot worse, and I doubt some of the things they’ve let by and on here have sat well with others not of his mindset.

Perhaps the new PR boss they got a while ago is a part of the problem?

He certainly would have his own rigid ideas of how he wants things done, and for all we know FF maybe just an annoying fly he’d like to swat.

Whatever way you look at it, I think you can safely say that neither the stick or the carrot has worked, and the situation is likely to get worse before it ever gets better (if at all).

5/8ths of stuff all mate. Which is why I think we should do what is in the best interests of FF.com & not worry about Ford at all. If they want to participate.. bonus.. if not.. their problem not ours..

I started to think that they had a while back. When the BA was released we had many "insiders" on the forum (harasn, fordtechguy65, etc) happy to discuss any issues or discoveries, but now nothing.

I am hoping that they are not going to end up like Holden, desert the true loyalists. But I like chucky's way of thinking....In the end FoMoCo is just another large organisation out there to make a buck no matter how.

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Truly the deepest kiss one can feel, and the one most sought after, is the one you will not survive....

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